Leonid began delivering supplies to Ukrainian soldiers in Mariupol by February's end, despite intense shelling. Maria and Leonid decided to shelter in their basement for safety. With frequent explosions, they risked their lives by moving between the apartment and the basement. Maria's sister and family also sheltered with them, enduring long hours in the cellar while Leonid built fires and cooked meals from melted snow. By March 3, Leonid prepared for military service after receiving recognition from soldiers he aided.
By the end of February, Leonid had begun taking food and supplies to the Ukrainian soldiers at the front lines of Mariupol's defense. He talked about them constantly - he called them "his guys" - and he worried about them, regaling Maria with how their positions were changing and they weren't getting the help they needed.
On March 1, Maria and Leonid decided that staying in their apartment for any length of time during the daylight hours was no longer an option. They would shelter in the basement.
Maria's older sister, her husband, and their toddler son had also joined Leonid, Maria, and David by the beginning of March, and they stayed in the cellar for 12 hours at a time, trying to keep everyone warm and fed.
On March 3, Leonid began preparing his military clothes. He had received some ribbons from those he visited on the front lines - ribbons that suggested a specific group or unit.
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